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‘Planning’ Your WOD, And Smart ScalingBy Mark Lee

Each day a new workout comes up (we know it as the WOD) and we are faced with any host of weights and movements in nearly infinite combinations. This often causes us to have to do some planning on issues like “what weight should I use?” or “How should I scale?” or “whats a good sub for…?”

In reality there is no right answer for each athlete. Sometimes going a little heavy and taking longer is appropriate. Sometimes there is a sense of achievement and accomplishment that outweighs the ‘sensible’ like doing all of Murph or Filthy 50. In another case scaling the movements or weight will allow you to get a better workout-something you and your coaches at C3 can be happy about!

Part of the answer involves the ‘design’ of the workout. What is the intention of the workout? Is it a 21-15-9 workout with two movements that complement each other? The effect and intent of that workout should be that you are going hard, more of a sprint (assuming your form is safe) and that you will likely finish in less than 4 minutes. If it is a WOD like Murph things may be less clear cut. Its 2 miles of running with 600 reps. “Of course it should take a couple of hours!” you may say. “Unless your some kind of freak who can do a 4 minute mile and a hundred straight pull ups!”

Interestingly enough taking a look at ‘the freaks’ times can benefit us in some cases. When a CrossFit workout is put together, it is not written up for the average person with average fitness. Rather, as CrossFit states about the WOD “…itmustbe understood that CrossFit workouts are extremely demanding and will tax the capacities of even the world’s best athletes.”Yes unless you fall into the category of “the worlds best athletes” CrossFit expects you to scale! In many cases there is no reason for you to care about whether you have that little Rx next to your name or not unless you are going out for the CrossFit games!

Back to using ‘the Freaks’ times-Some of the guess work is eliminated by the fact that you can actually use the times of the worlds best athletes to determine how you can scale the workout! (Thanks elite firebreathers!) You can implement this easy method by asking yourself several questions:

How long does it take an elite athlete to do this Workout?

What would I have to do to get the same stimulus and a time that would be in the ballpark of said athlete?

Lets use Fran as an example. Lets say that the last time you did Fran it took you 8 minutes and you were breaking up sets and when the workout was done you walked away from it, tired and cursing it but more frustrated that the weight and pull ups were slow or heavy. Let’s say instead that you tried our method of “How long does it take an elite athlete?” The answer? Anywhere between 2:00- 3:30. Next Question: What would I have to do to get the same stimulus and a time that falls in the ballpark? Lets put that ballpark time at 2:00-4:30. Without getting overly analytical about it the first thing will be the thruster. You’ll want to go at least twice as fast and may need to use 1/2 the weight! You will want to go unbroken on pull ups, that may mean doing something like using a medium band. You may be looking at this and saying-“That would be to easy!” It would be too easy- if you did it in 8:00 again. Try doing it in less than 3:00 and see if it isn’t even worse than the 8:00 Fran “Rx’d”

How about this WOD:Seven rounds for time of:7 Front squat 165/1157 Chest-to-bar pull-ups

First ask yourself-how long would this take me if I did it Rx’d? You may conclude that the weight is too heavy to clean 7x or more or that right away you know that you’ll need bands for chest to bar pull ups.

That’s a good start-here’s another important piece of information. It takes Games level Elite Athletes 3-4 minutes. WOW!

Watch the following video and see how that influences two other guys who are both very good CrossFitter’s when they decide to do the WOD.

Please post your thoughts to the comments.

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Love that picture Tracy! You look awesome!!!Mark, great posting. I find myself sometimes getting frustrated that I never get to put that damn RX next to my name but then to read this posting brings me back to refocus on the important parts of crossfit, which I think are to have the form correct, technique and intensity and then someday that RX will eventually happen. Thanks for the reminder! That said, now you can go back and continue listening to Pink!-Jen Ben

Excellent Post Mark! Perhaps the best way to get the most out of your WOD’s is to leave your ego at the door and be willing to scale…it is not always an easy thing to do. I do approach every WOD with a how’d I do the last time?…what did everyone else use? (ok, what did Greg B use @ the 6am class). Seriously, this post will certainly stick with me as I plan to attack future WODs, Thanks!

That 4th Bushy baby is going to crush it because it’s a girl! Nice pic Traci! Great post Mark! After my back injury, I have been using that philosophy. If I don’t RX on the weight portion, I just do a few more reps. Better to be safe with quality movements than poor form.

Awesome pic (def. a girl in there)!!! And a great post thanks Mark!!! Also, just wanted to say how AMAZING everyone is looking and performing after just a month of the paleo challenge. Can’t wait to see what 10 weeks brings:)

Mark great video on Rx’d…after a few significant injuries I have finally learned not to push certain moves…torn ligaments in my back and a knee strain was an eye opener and could have put me out of work. It is just not worth it. Somethings are more natural for people to do, others take more effort…realize what your strengths and weaknesses are and listen to your body!!

Mark any chance those guys in the video could come to C3 and do a demo for us??? What??? Doesn’t hurt to ask??? Like no other girls where thinking it to?